The present invention relates to a novel and useful device for destroying microbes in a fluid medium.
The availability of potable water presents a daunting problem worldwide. That is to say, the availability of potable water worldwide is relatively scarce in comparison to total amount of water found on the planet. Many potable fresh water sources become unusable due to contamination by microbes such as bacterias, and other pathogens.
Normal chemical treatments of water employed to eliminate microbes has been successful in many cases. However, persistent problems remain after chemical treatment of contaminated water. For example, chemically treated water tends to form compounds that are deemed to be dangerous such as chlorinated hydrocarbons. In addition, chlorine may not eliminate certain pathogens since the traditional level of chlorine treatment in water is often not sufficient to kill certain microbes. Increasing the dosage of chlorine in water also results in water having an unpleasant smell and taste.
Many systems have been proposed for the treatment of water without chemical additives. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,575,974 and 5,756,051 show systems which employ the combination of electric fields and magnetic fields in a continuous flow system. Although successful in treating water, such systems are cumbersome and complex in structure, resulting in manufacturing expenses which are prohibitive.
A device for destroying microbes in a fluid medium would be a notable advance in the liquid purification field.